Neil A. Carousso produces NewsNation original “Kurt’s Country” – a celebration of country music and a slice of Americana with host Kurt Bardella.
The Latest
Mastering Media Strategies: Insights from Industry Veterans
The Multi-Tiered Approach to Gaining Exposure and Credibility. Become a Repeat Source for the Media
Husband Sent Flirty Texts before Mica Miller’s Death, Waitress Says
Kristi Noem on Retraction: Kim Jong Un ‘Should Not be in the Book’
Kevin O’Leary: AI bossware can ID protesters and bar them from jobs
Neil A. Carousso Joins Growing NewsNation Network
Neil A. Carousso Departing WCBS 880
Art Business Founded by Former Foster Child Speaks to the Human Experience
1010 WINS Small Business $10K Challenge: Small Business Owners Make their Pitch for $10,000
NYC’s Élan Flowers Evolves into Blooming Subscription and Corporate Services
-
The Neil A. Carousso Show Premiere – Sunday at 12 Noon ET/ 9 AM PT
In Featured
“The Neil A. Carousso Show” premieres Sunday at 12 Noon ET/ 9 AM PT here!
“The Neil A. Carousso Show” is a weekly live video streaming news and political talk and commentary program that airs Sundays at 12 Noon ET. Carousso discusses the news of the week that you must know with insightful, passionate and expert analysis.
-
American Anarchists: Army Veteran Believes People Should be Arrested for Burning the American Flag
By Neil A. Carousso
There is an uprising of violent riots, protesting conservatives and President Donald J. Trump’s policies. Oftentimes, anarchists set fire to the American flag and show utter disrespect for the United States of America.
While clearly abhorrent, flag burning has been debated in the court system since 1907 with the Supreme Court of the United States ruling in 1989 that flag burning is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Mangum, in “Walking in an Army Veteran’s Shoes” by Carousso, holds a picture of him and his grandmother that was taken months before she died in 2012. On Wednesday’s episode of “The Neil A. Carousso Show Podcast,” when asked about the rioting taking place across the nation, U.S. Army Veteran Rance Mangum expressed his anger when people burn the American flag that is the symbol of our freedom and our nation’s sovereignty for which people like Rance fought to uphold and protect.
“It doesn’t do nothing. What does it represent for burning our flag? What does it do?,” remarked Mangum who dedicated his life to service between the military and service positions as an EMT and others. “When that flag flies high, our spirits and our morals are high, our values are high. It represents the United States.”
Mangum told this reporter that people who burn and step on the American flag should be arrested.
President Trump has brought the issue of flag burning to light on the campaign trail and during the transition period on Twitter and in interviews, making his position clear that people who burn the American flag should face “consequences.”
Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag – if they do, there must be consequences – perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
The Chief Executive enthused a wave of nationalist voters who feel pride in the country they call home. President Trump tapped into the demoralization of people who felt left-behind by globalist policies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV_yLsrquo8
“You hear a lot of talk about how we’re becoming a globalized world,” then, President-elect Trump started in during a “Thank You Tour” rally. “There is no global anthem, no global currency, no certificate of global citizenship. We pledge allegiance to one flag and that flag is the American flag,” Trump exclaimed.
President Trump is known to be affectionate towards the American flag, symbolizing his love for the country. To give back to those who serve for our nation’s freedom and our personal safety, contact us and we will ensure your time or donation of any sort goes directly to a U.S. veteran. Listen to Episode 4 for more information. “The Neil A. Carousso Show Podcast” is available on iTunes. It is recorded Mondays-Fridays.
Featured Image Courtesy: Peter DaSilva/EPA.
-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Strategic Multi-Media Business Relationship – Carousso Enterprises and NextCore Media, LLC.
In FeaturedNew York, NY – Wednesday, February 1, 2017 – Carousso Enterprises, owned by Neil A. Carousso, and NextCore Media, LLC, owned by Christian Ladigoski, have agreed on a strategic business relationship to bring unique, engaging and creative multi-media content to audiences through online platforms, including social media.
Neil A. Carousso (left) and Christian Ladigoski are part of a team. Carousso Enterprises and NextCore Media, LLC are a team in the media and production industries. Carousso provides counsel and business expertise, while helping produce video and audio content, specifically small businesses that Ladigoski is reaching to market and brand businesses in the digital space. Carousso is available to conduct promotional interviews, make appearances and make speaking engagements on a case-by-case basis.
“Christian and I have been working fervently to execute this business relationship and we are both excited to work everyday to make a substantial impact on the community, the country and the world through our work,” said Carousso in a statement. “We have already made a difference in our projects together over the last 3 years and I couldn’t be more excited to increase our platforms and engage more people in our enterprise content.”
NextCore Media, LLC is effectively becoming the production and social media arm of Carousso Enterprises. NextCore Media, LLC specializes in engaging social media content. Ladigoski is an electrical engineer with an expertise in audio and sound production, producing all Carousso Enterprises audio imagery that is managed by Carousso.
“Over the course of three years, I have been able to see Neil’s great potential for quality story-telling and the diversity/impact he has been able to make through his stories,” said Ladigoski. “I am excited to be partnering up with this platform in order to drive awareness to his content and make a difference while doing so.”
Carousso and Ladigoski are personal friends and have been working together professionally since 2014. Their first project was an America’s Got Talent red carpet event in which Carousso interviewed supermodel Heidi Klum, “King of All Media” Howard Stern, comedian Howie Mandel, and musical artist and AGT host Nick Cannon. Ladigoski directed and edited the feature piece.
Since then, Carousso and Ladigoski have produced many videos, including news, politics, sports and entertainment content and on-location credentialed access-only events. Ladigoski is directing Carousso’s new political talk and commentary program that airs February 12, 2017 on www.NeilACarousso.com.
About Carousso Enterprises:
Carousso Enterprises is owned by Neil A. Carousso. https://www.caroussoenterprises.com/ Carousso Enterprises is a sole-proprietorship media content company focusing on enterprise reporting, unique news, political, business, sports, and entertainment content and coverage and fact-based opinion and commentary. Carousso Enterprises has endeavors in media, journalism and other business-related projects. It is the corporate brand and site of content produced for www.NeilACarousso.com by Neil A. Carousso, president & owner of Carousso Enterprises.
www.NeilACarousso.com and Carousso Enterprises are owned and operated businesses and copyrights/trademarks, along with its respective logos, websites and products, of Neil A. Carousso under the Carousso Enterprises sole-proprietorship company and brand.
About Neil A. Carousso:
Neil A. Carousso Neil A. Carousso is an Associated Press, Hearst Corporation, NY Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists and All Access Media Group award-winning multi-media journalist, producer and executive producer. He is an entrepreneur, who founded Carousso Enterprises – a sole-proprietorship company with endeavors in media content, news, sports, entertainment, among other media, journalism and business entities. As the President & Owner of Carousso Enterprises, Neil produces all content on www.NeilACarousso.com and manages www.CaroussoEnterprises.com, the corporate website.
Neil is a producer extraordinaire, booking and interviewing politicians, celebrities, Hall of Fame athletes, Olympians, inspiring individuals and various experts. Neil covers American politics, business news, international relations and national stories as it relates to the economy, security, immigration and veterans treatment as well as reporting and commentating on the 2016 United States presidential campaigns and election for the #1 news team in the country, WABC-TV New York, a college associate position with Fox News Channel in New York City and Carousso Enterprises, and on various political panels and talk shows.
Neil also produces, executive produces and hosts various on-location talk shows at venues like the National Baseball Hall of Fame, U.S. Open Tennis Championship, Belmont Stakes, PGA Tour events, Empire Challenge and red carpet coverage. He was formerly the morning drive producer and host of Marconi award-winning WRHU-FM in New York, during his time at Hofstra University, where he graduates in May of 2017. Neil transcended WRHU’s variety morning talk show into a substantive and entertaining format, hosted by well-informed and engaging student hosts, including himself. The show allows for lively news, sports and political talk, expert analysis and interviews with notable guests, experts and politicians on topics including local and national politics and policy, national security, ISIS, immigration, civil unrest in parts of the country, local protests in New York City, the tragic disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines flight 370, health care, domestic violence and other local, national and international issues with debates, among other news topics mixed with entertainment features.
In addition to his role as Morning Wake-Up Call producer and host, Neil produced and anchored “Newsline,” the Associated Press award-winning evening news broadcast on WRHU-FM. Neil is also the lead political reporter and producer of WRHU News’ annual election night broadcasts and coverage, including the 2016 presidential election, also acting as a stringer for 103.9 LI News Radio (WRCN-FM), a commercial station on Long Island. Neil has been a college associate, working with producers, hosts and correspondents at the Fox News Channel in New York City and an assignment desk intern with the Eyewitness News team WABC-TV. He has also worked as a sports update anchor and producer of the New York Islanders Radio Network with playoff games broadcast on WFAN-AM and FM and WCBS Newsradio 880 New York, and the Hofstra Pride Sports Network on WRHU.
Neil embarked on his career at a young age, founding a school newspaper in junior high school and becoming the public address announcer for Saint Francis Preparatory School at the age of twelve. The “Voice of Saint Francis Prep,” created SFP TV, a live streaming service in which Neil served as the executive producer, sole sports broadcaster, news anchor and reporter. He spearheaded marketing and public relations initiatives, inking sponsorship deals with local newspapers and MSG Varsity, where he also served as a guest play-by-play sports broadcaster and general assignment reporter.
A Provost Scholar student at Hofstra University, Neil will graduate with Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a double minor in Political Science and General Business on May 21, 2017. Neil resides in New York City.
About NextCore Media, LLC:
NextCore Media, LLC is owned by Christian Ladigoski. NextCore Media dedicates their vision to creativity and story-telling first and fore-most!
They are a premium digital-media management and content creation company. They push to provide businesses and artists with the tools and resources for unique story-telling in order to fully enhance a brand.
NextCore Media, LLC’s primary services include Social Media Management, Digital Ad Management and Website Development.
What makes them unique from other companies is our ability to produce customized, high-quality content directly for businesses and creative people alike! How can you advertise your business without great content?
Ranging from photography, graphics, videography, film, music, voiceovers and other creative services, NextCore Media, LLC can develop brands from scratch with high-quality content to provide enormous value.
NextCore Media is a Limited Liability Company and full digital-operated business. All assets for the business are regulated and supervised by the Founder and CEO, Christian Ladigoski.
About Christian Ladigoski:
Christian Ladigoski. Christian Ladigoski defines himself as an entrepreneur, musician, sound artist and media expert. He is the Founder and CEO of NextCore Media LLC – a Digital Management and Content Creation Company that delivers high-quality content. It is Christian’s hope that with the creativity of story-telling and the innovations of the digital age, that we can thrive to inspire the future.
Since he was young, Christian Ladigoski has always been fascinated with creative and innovative endeavors. Starting with music, Christian has always been fascinated with rhythms and melodies. He picked up his first pair of sticks and began to play the drums. He is also a self-taught piano and guitar player and has played throughout all of his life. When he went to high-school, Christian started to find a true passion for music theory, which developed into an immersion into digital music and composition. He decided to pick up his first DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and let his creativity soar through writing music. At the same time, YouTube was becoming an emerging platform and he decided to take full advantage of the opportunity. On November 29th, 2008, Cladd Studios, Ladigoski’s music and sound production studio, was born.
For the next four years, Christian has dedicated to writing hundreds of compositions ranging from rock, jazz, hip-hop, beats, piano tracks, and EDM. However, the thing that he loved the most was creating film soundtracks and trailer music. He found his calling when he could use his film scores and music for other channels on YouTube. Christian became a YouTube Partner, collaborated with several channels and really made his mark on the video platform.
Christian graduated from Hofstra University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and focus in Media, Sound and Music Technology. Throughout his scholastic career, he has been able to explore a full immersion of creativity, technology and media trends in his four years. He started his media journey at Hofstra’s College Radio Station, WRHU-FM where he produced and created content for shows ranging from topics of political news, entertainment, LGBTQ culture, business, and local stories. While at the radio station, Christian co-founded and produced a hit show called “The Screening Room,” which was the first “Tri-State Film Radio Talk Show” that brought movies to the radio. Christian saw this as a growing opportunity for the station and over the course of 2 ½ years, it became a very popular program.
Christian has also collaborated on several award-winning films, providing sound services including voiceovers, sound design and mixing, music editing and other audio essentials to create a truly beautiful listening experience. He has also had the privilege to work for big brand companies such as Cox Media Inc., NBC Universal LLC, The Walt Disney Company, USTA (United States Tennis Association) and HBO (Home Box Office) while providing technical expertise and being right at the heart of the media industry.
Currently, Christian Ladigoski has been fond of the path of entrepreneurship, creating and owning multiple businesses that range from digital marketing, content creation, and E-Commerce. While being at the helm of NextCore Media LLC. As well as his production company, Cladd Studios, Christian plans to utilize trends in the internet marketing space in these industries to propel local businesses to a modern age, while also inspiring daily consumers through story-telling.
Christian loves going to the movies, reading and jamming out to music with his friends, in his spare time.
Contacts:
For Carousso Enterprises:
All media, press, sponsorship and business inquiries and others should be directed via email to media@caroussoenterprises.com.
For NextCore Media, LLC:
All media, press, sponsorship and business inquiries and others should be directed via email to info@nextcoremedia.com.
-
A New Era: “America First!”
By Neil A. Carousso
At 12 Noon ET, Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America.
A group hug for the First Family after President Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) President Trump was joined by First Lady Melania Trump, their child 10-year-old Barron, and the rest of the First Family, including Ivanka, Donald, Jr., Eric and Tiffany Trump, Mr. Trump’s son and daughters-in-law, and grandchildren.
Mr. Trump gave a brief, nonpartisan and unideological 1,433 word Inaugural Address to the nation promising a bright future under his Administration in which the President said he would not bend to political influences. Mr. Trump, in a contrast to President Barack Hussein Obama, was concise and direct in laying out his goals of prosperity, strength, peace and unity for the nation. Despite sharp opposition to his Presidency, Trump vowed to return power to the American people, as the framers intended.
“January 20th, 2017 will be remembered as the day the people became rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,” said President Trump.
The “Movement” began on June 16, 2015 as Mr. Trump rode down his Trump Tower escalator with his wife Melania. (Courtesy: ABC News) A new era has begun as the man whom everyone underestimated since he announced his candidacy on June 16, 2015 when Trump famously took a ride down his golden Trump Tower escalator in New York City.
What elitists didn’t realize was people were sick of establishment politics, the “all talk, no action” games, and the unkept promises. Furthermore, the “blue collar businessman” connected with Americans in the heartland of the country, many of whom have seen their jobs taken from underneath them in favor of globalist policies that Trump has promised to reverse. In fact, he has already created and saved American jobs; companies like Carrier, Sprint, Amazon, Alibaba, Ford and General Motors, among others, have made major economic announcements in a nod to President Trump’s favorable business and pro-growth policies, a stark contrast to the past 8-years of high taxes and restrictive business regulations that have stifled economic growth.
America currently has the lowest labor participation rate since the 1970s with 95 million Americans out of the labor force, 13 million more Americans on food stamps since 2009 and the lowest home ownership rate in 51 years.
“I will fight for you with every breath in my body – and I will never, ever let you down. America will start winning again, winning like never before. We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.” – President Donald J. Trump, Friday, January 20, 2017, Inaugural Address at The Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Despite the minuscule amount of violence rioters and anarchists played-up by liberals and the press, President Trump was unifying in message, giving hope and pride to millions of Americans who have felt left out under the Obama Administration and encouragement to those who didn’t vote for the novice politician.
“When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.” – President Donald J. Trump, Friday, January 20, 2017, Inaugural Address at The Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Personal politics aside in a politically divided nation, today is a wonderful day for the United States of America as the transition of power between 44th President Obama and 45th President Trump occurred when Mr. Trump took the oath of office at high noon. This only happens in a free nation. Former Presidents Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and his wife, Trump’s political opponent, former Senator, former First Lady, and former Obama Administration Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Jimmy Carter were present as well as the Supreme Court Justices, demonstrating continuity of our government. President George H.W. Bush been in a Houston, Texas hospital since Saturday. Shortly before his hospitalization due to pneumonia, the 92-year-old 41st President regretfully informed Mr. Trump that he would not be in attendance.
George H.W. Bush wrote a letter to then, President-elect Donald Trump ahead of the inauguration. 
“Donald Trump’s Contract with the American Voter,” President Trump’s ambitious agenda and promise to the American people. This is a time to give President Trump a chance to succeed. Patriotism means rooting for our President and rooting for our country.
Mr. Trump has published a “Contract with the American Voter,” which includes repealing and replacing The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with a more affordable healthcare program consisting of personal health savings accounts and nationwide competition in the private sector to decrease premiums and deductibles. President Trump’s first executive order upon entering the Oval Office for the first time was titled “Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal.”
President Trump has promised to secure our borders with the wall being a necessary component of the nation’s security. Marine General John Kelly has been nominated and confirmed as Director of Homeland Security on President Trump’s first day in office. President Trump aims to vet refugees to ensure that radical Islamic terrorists and other foreign terrorists do not enter the U.S., deport criminal illegal immigrants, enforce our laws, support law enforcement and restore peace and creating opportunity for inner-city Americans, including supporting education controlled by the states and charter schools. American students are ranked 20th in reading, 19th in science and 31st in math compared to students in 35 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, dropping since 2009 from 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in mathematics.
President Trump aims to cut the corporate tax rate to 15 percent while reducing the amount of personal tax brackets to 3 brackets. The Republican President’s agenda includes getting rid of restrictive regulations, repatriating money for a low 10 percent tax in order to create economic opportunity for Americans who have lost their jobs to outsourcing. Trump is promising to bring back and create more American jobs even more than he already been able to take credit for as a result of his pro-business and pro-growth policies. Trump intends to implement ethics reforms like term limits for members of Congress. Mr. Trump will also be tasked with appointing a Supreme Court Justice to replace Antonin Scalia who passed away last February.
In terms of foreign policy, President Trump’s has been specific in his action plan to enhance the U.S. Armed Forces, including updating dilapidated military equipment and providing monetary support, leading by “peace through strength,” an ode to the President Ronald Reagan foreign policy mantra. General James Mattis, another Marine, has been confirmed as the Chief Executive’s Defense Secretary. Trump has also been vocal and active in his support for U.S. veterans. He has promised to reform the Veterans Affairs Administration and allow vets to seek medical care in any hospital they choose to be reimbursed by the federal government.
“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against Radical Islamic Terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.” -President Donald J. Trump, Friday, January 20, 2017, Inaugural Address at The Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Other items on Trump’s agenda include renegotiating trade deals to ensure Americans have priority in American jobs and are not being “ripped off” by countries like China, which devalues its currency and sees tremendous growth of about 6.8 percent of GDP in the 3rd quarter of 2016 while U.S. growth was 3.5 percent of gross domestic product. Trump has said he will renegotiate or scrap the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), signed by President Clinton in 1994, in favor of “smart” trade policies with a greater benefit for American citizens. President Trump is also planning on abandoning the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal that many argue hurts American workers. Democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also said he would kill NAFTA and TPP if he was elected president.
Trump also seeks to accomplish energy independence by using our own resources as opposed to dealing with terror sponsored nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia that are rich in oil. President Trump says he will reevaluate our commitments to the United Nations and NATO for which the United States spends the majority of dues without enough reward to the U.S. and its allies, many would argue.
This is an ambitious agenda, emphasizing “American exceptionalism;” if President Trump can implement these policies, continue to create and save American jobs, restore peace and unity and truly be the President for all Americans, Mr. Trump, and by extension, the country succeeds.
“When you succeed, the country succeeds.” – President Barack Obama to President-elect Donald Trump, November 10, 2016, The White House
Let’s pray and support President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the United States. Now it’s time to get to work and “Make America Great Again, greater than ever before!”
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump share a dance at the Liberty Ball. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst) “We always felt we are going to do it. It’s a movement like they have never seen anywhere, anytime in the world. And now the work begins. There is no games. We are not playing games. The work begins. We love you, we are going to be working for you and we are going to be producing results.” – President Donald J. Trump, Friday, January 20, 2017 Liberty Ball, Walter Washington Convention Centre in Washington, D.C.
God Bless America!
Featured Image Courtesy: Associated Press.
-
Walking in an Army Veteran’s Shoes
By Neil A. Carousso
Rance Mangum enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 15, 1988, proudly serving the United States of America for over 5 years.
Rance Mangum at 34-years-old. “People’s lives depended on you,” said Mangum.
When he returned home to Long Island in 1992 from his tour in Germany, Mangum was homeless, moving in with his grandmother, who raised him since he was 3-years-old. His grandmother, who died in 2012, was his inspiration for dedicating himself to life of service. He spent 14 years as a firefighter, upwards of 30 years in various medical roles, including an EMT, EKG technician and a Certified Nursing Assistant in private Army duty in Florida.
Mangum holds a picture of him and his grandmother that was taken months before she died in 2012. “She made sure that I had my principles and know right from wrong,” said Mangum. “My grandmother says that you have to help others to help yourself.”
About 11 percent of the adult homeless population are veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 39,471 vets are homeless on a given night, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Furthermore, homeless vets are younger on average than the total veteran population with 41 percent of homeless vets between the ages of 31 and 50, according to the VA.
“The transition [from military service to civilian life] depends on the person, their educations, their situations, their past,” said Mangum, adding, “Sometimes all a person needs is a chance, just a chance to start their life over. Just don’t look at them as a homeless person or a street person walking around, you have to look at the person themselves.”
Mangum, 62, recently signed a rental lease at a home in West Babylon, NY and is seeking employment in the MTA, driving New York City buses after he completes his Class B driver’s license test in December.
“We had a lot of training, because we didn’t know if we were going to Iraq,” said Mangum, who finds civilian work more difficult due to the lack of respect for military members by some employers.
“In the military, you’re in charge of millions and millions of dollars worth of equipment, you are, and you come back here to the United States and civilians look at you for a couple of thousands of dollars, because they don’t think you can handle it,” adding that some employers have a condescending attitude towards veterans who say they can handle tasks.
“Take a couple steps in my shoes.” – Rance Mangum, U.S. Army Veteran
There are 495,000 unemployed veterans in the United States as of the end of last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Vets over the age of 45, like Rance, account for a 57 percent unemployment rate in their age group. Furthermore, female veterans are more likely to be unemployed than males.
Mangum also suffers from some medical conditions, including a benign tumor on the side of his head. With much national discussion centered around the treatment of veterans at the VA, Mangum, who lived at the United Veterans Beacon House at the Northport VA on Long Island for a few months until he moved to West Babylon, said he was treated well and views situations in an optimistic manner, a lesson he has learned in his lifetime.
“Some of these [vets, living and being treated at the VA], you don’t know how intense it was in Iraq [and] Afghanistan,” said Mangum, who added that those veterans who “come back to the United States and don’t have a job, don’t have a place to live, have alcoholic problems, have drug problems and also have symptoms from post-war syndrome” oftentimes just need someone to talk to in order to feel better.
Carol Klein, co-founder with her husband of “Our Heroes Night Out,” supports homeless veterans by hosting gatherings at the Beacon House in Nortphort.
“Sometimes it’s just easier for people to say ‘well, I’ll give you a check for 25 dollars’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t want your money, I want your time,’” said Klein to which Mangum nodded in agreement. “I just say, could you please just come and spend a little bit of time with these guys. It’s all they need – share your talent, share your time.”
Klein’s brother served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam, her son-in-law is a Marines veteran and her nephew is going into the U.S. Navy this month.
Carol Klein, right, devotes her time and energy giving back to those who keep us safe. “Carol is a big part of happiness there,” recalled Mangum. “Everybody loves this lady, they look forward to her.”
Veterans are overjoyed when they receive visits to the VA and letters from people, expressing their gratitude and talking about subjects unrelated to the military and war. Mangum enjoys talking about sports, especially his favorite NFL team, the New York Jets, and even engage in civil political discussions and debate.
Rance’s first great-grandchild. Mangum has family he is close with, including one of his sisters, his two kids and several grandchildren, one who just welcomed in Rance’s first great-grandchild into the world. Many veterans, though, find comfort in their military peers.
“Military has a family-type situation,” said Mangum, who has befriended vets who he has lived with at the Northport VA and continues to keep in contact with Army veterans who he served with via Facebook. “I don’t care if you’re a Navy, Army, Air Force guy, you have that camaraderie of military person.”
There are 21,681,000 veterans living in the United States, according to the latest VA data. New York ranks fifth on total veteran population with three-quarters of the Empire State’s vets having served in wartime.
New York’s veteran population is highly concentrated east of the City, where roughly 20 percent of vets live on Long Island, where Rance has called home for the better part of 50 years, between duty overseas and private duty service in other states.
“Let them know that you care,” said Mangum about how people can help those who served to protect our nation’s freedom, sovereignty and values. “It gives them inspiration to do better to help themselves. Sometimes people don’t want to take the time to do that.”
One can get involved in supporting our veterans through “Our Heroes Night Out” by contacting Klein via her website.
